The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-09-01

l
o ice engaged and we were soon "hurl-
ing along the fine road, past beautiful
fields and in due time hauled up at the
great poets birth place, lowly one ste r.
cottage. Here is the small room, with
the bed in the recess, where the man of
genius was born. Here are preserved
many relics, the old spinning wheel, an
old chair, his cane, specimens of his
hand writing, Scots wha haze, etc. In
an adjoining room are articles for sale,
all with pictures of the locality, etc. OF
course, we all invested, more or less.
Mr.. Leggate and the Hays had been here
before, but noted Improvements. A few
minutes more of ride brought us to
Kirk Alloway," with it's little graveyard
about 1t, well filed with the departed.
On stone, near the entrance, we read of
the death of the father and mother of
the poet. The last name on the stone is
Miss Begges, daughter of sister, who
died two or three years ago, aged 81, in a
cottage near by She was the last of the
connections there. On the other side of
the stone is the verse in the Cottar's
Saturday Night, in which the poet so
nobly pays tribute to his father.
An old Scot was in waiting at auld kirk
Alloway to point out and explain, and
rehearse Tam o. Shanter, as necessary.
He was glib at it, and got his reward in a
few pence, He points out
The winnock bunker in the east
Whaur sat aud Nick in shape o. beast.
After this, less than five minutes
walk brought us to the monument
on the banks of the Doom, a beautiful
and lively flowing burn. 1t takes an
entrance fee Of two pence to get into the
fine grounds and the monument. The
stone steps taking people to the top, not
very high, are badly " worn. In the first
room is stand with articles and various
books to sell, and few purchases were
also made here.
On gettingthrough with the monument
and walk around the fine grounds, we
strolled down the brae and crossed the
auld brig o. Doom. 1t was here that Tam
o. Shanter made such narrow escape
from the witches, thanks to the mettle of
his mare Maggie.
For Nanny far before the rest
Hard upon noble Maggie pressed,
| An flew at Mag WI furious ettle,
But little wist she Maggie's mettle;-
Ae spring brought aft her master hale,
But left 6ehint her ain grey tall
After this, our party of seven, Mr..
Archie Hay, Mr. and Mrs. James Hay
MIR. and Mrs. Leggate and son Thomas,
and the DEMOCRAT man, walked up the
banks O. bonnie Doom, and it being near
2 p. M, we took seats upon the grass and
were soon engaged upon the supplies of
the lunch basket. This enjoyable affair
done, we again mounted the vehicle and
were driven into Ayr, two miles or more,
passing numerous fine stone residences,
| as usual, enclosed by stone walls 1t must
| be that, in Scotland, more stone is piled
into these stone walls than into the
houses, although the dwellings are all
| stone 1t is stone, stone everywhere,
varied somewhat with hedges which are
very fine as a rule. Having an hour or
two to spare, we rambled round AYR,
crossing the Auld Brig and the New Brig,
| celebrated in Burns's poem. Ayr is a
fine coast town of 1000 inhabitants and,
from the shipping in the river, evident,
ly does some business. Of course we
visited the Tam o. Shanter inn, and were
in the little room where Tam, Souter
Johnny, the landlord and landlady held
the carousal before Tam started on his
notable ride past Alloway kirk. They
show the veritable mug out of which
Tom drank his yill, the Scotch name for
ale.
The crowds that visit Ayr to honor
Scotland's great poet is astonishing. We
thought there was fair attendance the
day we were there, but our driver said it
was poor day. He said the greatest day
he ever saw there were 1900 visitors.
They came from all parts of the world to
honor the genius of Robert Burns. OF
course we registered at the cottage, as
people generally do. In the Mitchell Ii
brary at Glasgow is large book case
filled with books wholly devoted to Burns
and it contaies about six hundred differ
ent different works by different authors.
l did not take time to look into them, or
even to ask to do so. Burns did more for
old Scotland than all her kings and he.
roes, showing hat the pen in the hands of
one entirely great is mightier than the
sword
r turning to Saltcoats towards evening
we had another evening out on the bay
fishing. The evening was fine and calm
but the catch only about half of the eve
ming previous. After another night with
our hospitable Hay friends, sea bath
again in the morning and breakfast on
pease brose and other good things, we
Dunoon people took the train to Ardras- |
san, few miles across the bay, thence
by steamer to Lamlach bay on the isle of |
Arran, where, after wait of an hour or
two, we got our steamer to Dunoon,
These numerous steamers are crowded
and the numerous watering places crowd |
ed along the coast, on both sides, with
tourists Thousands of Glasgow people
own their cottage residences down the
coast, other thousands rent furnished
cottages for the summer months. Mr.. |
Archibald Hay, for instance, is in bust
ness in Glasgow and goes down in the |
train. 40 miles, every night to Saltcoats. |
returning on each business morning. 1t |
is needless to say the steamers do not run
on the Sabbath. A few street cars run in |
Glasgow on the Lords day, but they are
poorly patronized. People here, as a |
rule, walk to church.
1t is refreshing to me to hear the Doric |
in the vernacular. In the little folks it |
is specially interesting. On asking |
Cousin Brooks little three-year-old girl
ifshe played wi the neebor BARNS, She /
said, "Aye, but they flittet oot"-that is,
they had moved away. On asking a boy |
if he could SOON (swim) )-"No, but I'm
learnin' to SOON, for brither Jack learnt
the year." The friends admit that am
quite at home in the vernacular; and on
occasion I give them specimens ofAmeri
can genins by giving "The Old Oaken
Bucket" and other good things. They
are quite new here, and 1 take pleasure
in enlightening them of our own glorious
land and to show them that they have
not all evan in litaratura for wn CON |